


Murder in the A'morak Temple

by background_vulcan, froghbert_the_frog, greatbirdofthegalaxy, images_words, JadeAbarai, Mary_Louise, SaritAadam, The_Norsiest, thendstartsnow, yel_halansu



Category: Star Trek
Genre: Gen, Murder Mystery, Non-Graphic Violence, Off-Screen Murder, Star Trek - Freeform, Vulcan Culture, Vulcan Philosophy, star trek rp
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-28 11:27:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30138855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/background_vulcan/pseuds/background_vulcan, https://archiveofourown.org/users/froghbert_the_frog/pseuds/froghbert_the_frog, https://archiveofourown.org/users/greatbirdofthegalaxy/pseuds/greatbirdofthegalaxy, https://archiveofourown.org/users/images_words/pseuds/images_words, https://archiveofourown.org/users/JadeAbarai/pseuds/JadeAbarai, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mary_Louise/pseuds/Mary_Louise, https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaritAadam/pseuds/SaritAadam, https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Norsiest/pseuds/The_Norsiest, https://archiveofourown.org/users/thendstartsnow/pseuds/thendstartsnow, https://archiveofourown.org/users/yel_halansu/pseuds/yel_halansu
Summary: The Temple of A’morak was established on the edge of the Misty Desert by Surak’s disciples. The monastery took its name from the a’morak bush, which provides a soft fiber for weaving and grows nowhere else on Vulcan. The Temple of A’morak grew as a place of wisdom, healing, and training in the psychionic arts. However, this place of peace has become a crime scene! The High Priestess has just been murdered, and the Federation has assigned the crew of the USS Bartholomew to find the culprit and bring them to justice- and of course, the reclusive Masters of Kolinahr that inhabit the monastery aren't willing to give up their secrets easily...
Kudos: 2
Collections: USS Tribble Threat





	1. Day 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written as part of the USS Tribble Threat RP. Edited for typos, inconsistencies and clarity.

Jaale and the crew beam down to the desert.  
  
"A quick review of our mission here, before we head through the desert. The high priestess of the A'morak temple of Vulcan has been assassinated, and we have reason to believe it was carried out by a skilled mind-melder. The A'morak temple is extremely remote and isolated, so it was probably another other members of the order. We need to find the temple, then question the Kolinahr masters who live in it, deduce who committed the crime, and secure them until the V'Kor arrives to detain them officially,"  
  
He looks around at the crew, scowling slightly and taking out his phaser.  
  
"Any questions?"  
  
Verelan looks around at everyone and tries not to faint in the heat.  
  
Sindari shakes her head, the heat of the place is already making it hard to think.  
  
Lodzhal looks around. He has not been on Vulcan for many years. He almost forgot what not being cold feel like. "No sir," he responds.  
  
Sasha is also not the biggest fan of the heat. They remind themselves that they only have themselves to blame; they did ask to do this, after all.  
  
Inn shakes his head, and actually enjoying the heat.  
  
Alceste immediately shields his eyes from the sun. "No, sir."  
  
Nihvas takes out her tricorder just to see how hot it is. She doesn't mind heat, but this is... oppressive. Sweat slides down her neck.  
  
The Temple of A'morak is surrounded by a thick mist, so dense that it affects the transporter beams. It is only safe to be beamed down to a nearby oasis, just outside the area surrounding the temple, which is known as the Misty Desert.  
  
The oasis is small, consisting of a single small pool about two feet wide and an inch deep in the smooth barren desert. From the oasis, you can see a dense bank of mist to the East, stretching as high and wide as the eye can see. A single cactus-like tree grows beside the small oasis, and a haurok bird is perched upon it. It caws when you materialize near it, and takes off immediately, fleeing into the mist.  
  
"In that case, let's not waste another moment," Jaale says, leading them through the oasis.  
  
The hot, sultry air of Vulcan sticks to their skin, and Yal… doesn't give a damn. After all, heat and cold have no meaning for a being who can become literal plasma. For the first time since they came aboard the USS Bartholomew, though, they are starkly non-eldritch; they’re so very ordinarily humanoid it hurts. And they just raise a brow and blink candidly, a hand on their phaser, ready to move.  
  
Sindari looks longingly at the pool of water before following the crew.  
  
They approach the Misty Desert, and see a narrow, winding path in front of them. The desert is vast, and the mist does not allow them to see very far. They will have to find their way across the treacherous desert by paying attention to the features of the terrain that they can see. It would be wise to attempt to map out the areas they see...  
  
A path winds between the dunes, leading eastward and deeper into the Misty Desert.  
  
The crew follows it, and comes to a standing stone, its face worn smooth by eons past. The path forks, and can lead you east, west or south.  
  
Sindari scans the area with the tricorder for an indication on where to go.  
  
Verelan scans the standing stone itself, to see if there was once writing on it that has worn away  
  
The tricorder renders no information. Verelan cannot find any traces of inscriptions on the stone.  
  
Verelan sighs, and hopes Yal didn't notice her fail at something.  
  
Sindari shrugs and decides that west is the best for a reason.  
  
Verelan, a proud native of Romulus' Eastern continent, votes for east for reasons  
  
Jaale reviews their current coordinates and for no other reason than a feeling he says ".....South looks nice,"  
  
Inn votes for south because south is a nice word.  
  
Nihvas just giggles, adding a vote to south.  
  
Lodzhal does not take any decision.  
  
The party heads south and arrives to another area of the desert through the mists. The path leads north, east and west. At the intersection lies a solitary stone which emerges from the sands.  
  
Yal shoots Verelan a little smirk when her tricorder blinks blankly. They wink, and they go back studying the area carefully, looking for details. They raise a brow so very high on their forehead at Jaale's choice, and then they cackle. "Well, this is gonna be exciting."  
  
Sindari stands by Verelan and fans herself uselessly.  
  
Alceste cautiously approaches the stone and circles it to examine it.  
  
It is a sandstone, very common in Vulcan. There is nothing special about it except how isolated it appears in the middle of the sandy desert.  
  
From the stone, the party head East, with a very unsure Captain at the lead  
  
The party heads East. A dead end... but not only does the path ends here. You find the remains of a dzharel, which must have gotten lost in this haunting land.  
  
Inn takes a bone.  
  
Lodzhal scans the remains. In case.  
  
Verelan looks mildly disgusted.  
  
Lodzhal scans the remains. In case. He does not find anything unusual about the dzharel remains.  
  
Sindari heads back up the path  
  
As they hit the dead end, the Captain spins around sighs, "Okay, lets try West,'  
  
Yal sighs deeply, shoulders slouching. "Oooookay, bones, woah," they drawl. "Wait a second, folks, be back in a minute." Instantly, their shape morphs and turns into that of a bird of some kind, definitely not Vulcan, definitely not Terran, but undoubtedly able to fly. And they do fly, speeding up and trying to check from above whether there's a better path to follow.  
  
As soon as Yal gains some altitude, they realize the mist is too dense to see anything from that altitude. They should return and rejoin the party before they get lost and end up just like the unfortunate dzharel they just encountered...  
  
Nihvas takes a sip from their water bottle. This might be quite a hike.  
  
The party moves west and returns to the area with the solitary stone. The path forks north, west and east.  
  
"Oh. Boo-hoo. Fuck my life." Yal flies back, jumping next to Sindari back in humanoid form.  
  
Verelan smirks right back at Yal.  
  
"Let's keep going West!" Jaale calls and frowns and the pouting changeling.  
  
They arrive to a new area. The path flows east and south. A shack, damaged by the sandstorms, stands at its corner, but it's hard to believe that someone would live here.  
  
Inn looks inside the shack.  
  
Verelan impulsively charges into the shack in search of a snack.  
  
"Thank you for trying, Commander," Alceste tells Yal with a smile before following Inn.  
  
Sindari scans the surroundings with the tricorder.  
  
The shack is empty safe for a few ancient baskets, covered in dust. They have been woven from the a'morak bushes that grow in the region and give the name to the temple. It seems to have been abandoned a long time ago.  
  
Yal flutters their eyelashes at Verelan, playing cool, and then smirk obliquely at Alceste. "Oh, my pleasure."  
  
Lodzhal is almost temoted to take a basket. This is nice craft work.  
  
Inn takes a piece of bush.  
  
Sindari scans the surroundings with the tricorder. It does not show anything of interest. The interference of the heavy magnetic field of the mist makes its screen glitch, but aside from a couple of desert animals and plants in the vicinity, there is not much to be found.  
  
Yal keeps an eye on the surroundings, vigilance always high.

Verelan takes the lid off one of the baskets. She finds the remains of some krei'la bread. It is dusty and almost mummified, as of it had been there for years. The area is so remote that even insects have not approached it. Ew.  
  
Sindari growls frustrated with the heat and the trek. Everyone is frustrated with the trek.  
  
Jaale looks at Inn. “Don't eat that," he says with a frown.  
  
Inn doesn't take the bread, even if he wants to.  
  
Yal slides next to Verelan, and takes the bread in her place. They do eat it, with a curious streak to them. "Wow, it's really better than some foods you solids usually eat."  
  
"....right, so I also have better taste than you, noted." Verelan replies.  
  
Sasha just raises an eyebrow at them.  
  
Jaale rolls his eyes and marches onward.  
  
Inn is jealous. he wanted that bread.  
  
Sindari frown at Yal, almost insulted by them eating the bread. Then follows the Captain.  
  
"No. You have taste buds. I don't." Yal beams.

"And whose fault is that?" Verelan is aware that this makes no sense.

"Oh, mine. I didn't make them. I could. But then the bread would taste awfully."  
Lodzhal takes the basket Yal just emptied and puts his equipment in it. He is ready to continue the nice walk!  
  
Nihvas follows the captain, laughing at the banter.  
  
Jaale leads the party away from the shack and south through the desert  
  
The party heads south. Here the path runs north and south along the flat face of a large rock structure. Woven bird traps have been set on it, but the ropes have long since rotten through.  
  
Zambinn is having the time of her life. Sindari is not.  
  
Zambinn chatters absentmindedly at a nearby bird. She is tempted to climb in Lodzhal's basket. She could fit if she really tried.  
  
Sasha is wondering if all away missions have this much chaotic energy.  
  
Inn finds a bug in the sand. He eats it. Lodzhal watches Inn eating the bug with mild distress.  
  
Yal pouts at Sindari and looks at her with feigned contrition when she glares at them for the bread. Then, they just stare skeptically at the rotten ropes, moving along.  
  
The party continues following the path south. In the middle of the intersection where the paths lead north, south and east, you can hear the wind howling. If you listen closely, it sounds like the cries of lost pilgrims long dead.  
  
Jaale listened to the weird ass windy cries and says confidently "east, east sounds good,"  
  
The party follows the cries of the howling winds and heads East. This intersection arches over the bed of a stream which has clearly been dry for years. It leads north, south and west.  
  
If she ever get the chance to retire, Sindari will not be spending it on Vulcan.  
  
Alceste chuckles at Inn, but observes everyone else's discomfort and pulls out a flask. "Would anyone like water?"  
  
Sindari takes some gratefully.Sasha accepts the offer of water as well. "Thank you."  
  
Jaale wipes some sweat off his brow and takes off his shirt and ties it around his waist.  
  
"South then, when you've all had some water,"  
  
The party continues south. In the barren, sweltering desert, another bend in the path leads north and east.  
  
"it makes sense for us to go East, correct?" Jaale says, looking at the others for confirmation.  
  
The flask is handed back to Alceste and he tilts it back with a gentle slosh and saves the rest for later, wiping his chin off.  
  
Here the path stretches east and west. Large sections are covered by sand, which slips into their boots. Inn doesn't wear boots, so he is doing great.  
  
Verelan is beginning to regret wearing the skant.  
  
Suddenly, there is a cry from beneath the sand, and you can make out two small, beady eyes as they emerge from it. It is a mor'gril, a fierce yet small Vulcan animal resembling a wolverine. It hisses wildly at Verelan as it is stepped on.  
  
Verelan leaps back with a yelp of surprise. She apologizes to the animal.  
  
From her basket, Zambinn hiss at the animal.  
  
Sindari looks at the animal and raises her phaser. She does not have the time for this.  
  
Inn definitely knows what this animal is because he is Vulcan. He doesn't do anything though.  
  
The mor'gril does not understand the apology, and as it charges at Verelan, it gets hit by Sindari's phaser beam straight on. It flops back, stunned but not hurt, and the party is free to continue moving on.  
  
Jaale nods at Sindari, "Thank you for dealing with that so quickly, Sindari,"  
  
Verelan is momentarily frozen in a legs-crossed, terrified position much like a male soccer player protecting his junk while defending a free kick. Again, the skant. Bad idea.  
  
Nihvas offers a hand to Verelan. "Are you injured?"  
  
Sindari looks at her poor ensign girlfriend and snorts before moving on.  
  
Verelan shakes her head. "No, I'm fine..."  
  
She glares at Sindari with wounded pride.  
  
Alceste walks closer beside Verelan and nods.

They carry on east after everyone has regained composure. At this bend in the road leading north and west, the heat from the sun shining directly above you is almost overwhelming.  
  
Yal walks nonchalantly in the heat, watching everyone else sweat like hell. Gross.  
  
Sasha is not, in this moment, a fan of the sun.  
  
Inn is the biggest fan of the sun. The sun slaps.  
  
Nihvas follows the party north.  
  
Lodzhal stretches, enjoying the sun, the heat and the walk.  
  
Sand. Everywhere. 'I hate sand. It's coarse, and rough, and it gets everywhere'. No, Yal didn't say it. They can just let it slide through them. They're good.  
  
Jaale looks ahead at the high, jagged rocks; the only option seemed to be North, or going back. He gestures to the party behind him and quickly scanned everyone (with his eyes) to check that they were all okay before continuing.  
  
The party heads north from there. The ruins of a tower stand at this crossroad. They can take any direction from here.  
  
Sslith brings up the rear of the group, slightly lost but loving the sun. She holds her PADD in its little rubber casing and her hip sling of snacks, and appreciates the beautiful sands. And the local... fauna. She slows to eye a bug with interest, before realizing she's falling behind and taking a couple half-running steps to catch up.  
  
"I liked the creepy voices back there. I kinda relate, y'know. Let's go there." Yal turns and moves.  
  
Sindari shrugs and follows because that sounds reasonable.  
  
Nihvas's eyes go wide at Yal's announcement.  
  
Inn thinks that is very logical.  
  
Sasha shrugs. Why the hell not?  
  
Verelan sighs.  
  
Lodzhal did not like the creepy voices but he can't contradict a superior officer.  
  
However, at Jaale's command, the party heads west instead. This path ends abruptly at the foot of a massive dune. The loose sand whirls off its summit.  
  
Inn pats the dune. What a guy.  
  
Look at all that sand, Verelan thinks. And then promptly looks at the captain and wonders why she was put here.  
  
Lodzhal takes the scarf he definitely took before beaming down and rolls it over his hand to protect himself from the sand.  
  
The party heads back to the large crossroads that can take them in any direction.  
  
Alceste closes his eyes tightly to avoid getting sand blown into them and continues to follow Inn and Verelan.  
  
Jaale looks up to the several suns in the sky and uses his shirt to wipe his brow again. "Shall we continue North?" he asks the crew around him as squints.  
  
"Aye Aye Captain." Sindari mock salutes, bitchy because of the heat.  
  
The party continues north. The sunlight dances along the path that heads north, south and east.  
  
Jaale rests for a moment and puts his hands on his knees, assessing the paths before them.  
  
"East or South?"  
  
"East." Sindari takes her shirt off and wipes her face.  
  
The party moves east to the next visible patch of desert. Here the path winds north and west between a cluster of a'morak bushes.  
  
Inn takes more bush.  
  
Lodzhal looks at the bushes. The monastery may not be far.  
  
Jaale leads them north through the bushes, they must be close.  
  
The party moves north. In the next area, the path leads north, south and west here. The stones beneath your feet are so hot you can feel it through your boots.  
  
Verelan hops around, toes burning.  
  
Sslith sighs and wonders if there's something obvious they're missing.  
  
Lodzhal moves his toes in his shoes, enjoying the heat.  
  
Inn holds a pile of sand him his hand. Sand is great.  
  
Sindari is baking and three seconds away from abandoning all her clothes.  
  
Alceste undoes his hair, shakes it out gently, and ties it up tighter. He keeps his uniform jacket on through his sweating and blinks at the sudden increase of heat below his feet.  
  
Sasha is beginning to regret all their life decisions.  
  
Verelan understands the Sundering more than ever before. Fuck this planet!  
  
Yal does change clothes. Their uniform vanishes and they're now wearing a shorts and tank top. Not because it's hot. Just because they're Extra™️.  
  
The party moves north. At this corner in the path winding west and south, the dunes seem particularly tall. The glitter in the desert sun.  
  
Inn very much regretting not paying attention to his Vulcan cartography class.  
  
For some reason, Jaale is struck with divine inspiration to go West. He leads the party onward with a spring in his step!  
  
Westward and eastward their path winds, between cacti with razor-sharp thorns.  
  
Inn touches the cactus. What a pointy man.  
  
Verelan is reconsidering her opinion of Starfleet.  
  
Alceste squints as his eyes adjust to the brighter light of the dunes and quickly follows the others. He watches Inn curiously.  
  
Sindari huffs and is sweating and regretting everything  
  
The party continues west. The path continues east and west, and a dozen pairs of haurok birds' eyes turn in your direction, warily watching you from the branches of a dead tree.  
  
Sslith watches them back.

Oh. Birds, Sindari likes birds.  
  
Lodzhal looks at the bird with a soft smile as he pass them, continuing west.  
  
Jaale tries to ignore the birds and just keeps walking west.  
  
The party continues west and comes back to the standing stone they encountered at the beginning, the one Verelan checked for writing. The path forks, and can lead them east, west or south.  
  
Zambinn wants to attack the birds but resists.  
  
Inn looks up up the the birds. Birds, man.  
  
Alceste turns his head to study the birds further away from the sun.  
  
The only way to go that makes sense is south, so Jaale turns in that direction without words and motions for the crew to follow him.  
  
The party continues south, and they come to the solitary sandstone in the intersection they encountered previously, emerging from the sands. The path leads north, east and west.  
  
Sslith leans toward Inn. "Do you think we're getting closer?"

"Probably...... not?" Inn answers. He feels lost.  
  
Sasha briefly considers risking it all and revealing their status as a cyborg to roll up their sleeves and get some relief. They don't do that. A metal arm would heat right up in the sun anyway.  
  
The party heads west, and encounters the shack they ransacked before. The path flows east and south.  
  
Sindari marches down south.  
  
Sslith nods. "Nice." She opens the front of her shirt to let air circulate.  
  
Alceste examines the split paths. He moves closer to Sasha and lowers his voice. "Would you like more water?"

They jod. "Thank you".  
  
"Well, peak efficiency, I'd say. Go us." Yal comments as they keep seeing places they've already been to before. They follow along south.  
  
Verelan gives up and hikes her skant up further for air circulation reasons.  
  
The party continues south, past the rock wall with rotten bird traps, and past the area where the wind howls like the voices of dead pilgrims. They arrive at the intersection that arches over the bed of a stream which has clearly been dry for years. It leads north, south and west.  
  
Sslith squints at the snark new crew mate. He hasn't really been here long enough to judge the crew overall, now has he? She keeps her grumbles to herself.  
  
Alceste passes the flask to Sasha. His cheeks flush harder than they have at the heat toward everyone else.  
  
Zambinn follows dutifully. As an ensign is not her place to ask what the heck is going on and just goes with the orders.  
  
Jaale points North, "Let's go! We're so close!"  
  
Sindari shoot Verelan a look of 'Nice legs' as they walk.  
  
Sasha takes a drink of water, then passes the flask back with a grateful smile at Alceste.  
  
Nihvas sits on the sand and pulls off their boots while the group rests.  
  
Zambinn’s feet are aching. Despite her normally modest behavior the heat is getting to her. She takes off her boots, showing her Caitian legs and feet. Much better.  
  
Damn the sand is hot!  
  
Alceste takes the flask and returns Sasha's smile, then absently fans the back of his neck.  
  
Lodzhal takes a sits down in the sand and takes a sip of water. He proposes his bottle to his crew mates.  
  
Sslith preens her hip sling and pulls out....... her mini food replicator, finally finished after months of work. "Does anyone need snacks?" The mini replicator instantly jams with funcking sand. Sslith sighs and puts it away.  
  
Sindari goes ahead and gives herself one of the fancy 'visitor on Vulcan' shots to try and help herself cool down. It doesn't work very well.  
  
Inn perks up at the mention of snacks... and deflates when he sees its full of sand. Next time.  
  
The party heads north. Eastward and southward the path leads, through a bank of fog that is particularly dense.

"We'll eat when we arrive at the temple, all right?" Alceste reassures Sslith and Inn.  
  
There's a second where Yal is nowhere to be found. Moments after, they just rebuild their humanoid form after having tried to be sand for a while. They're bored, we already said that. Then, when the party move, they move too.

Verelan gives the living sand a look of undiluted loathing. She doesn't like sand.  
  
Inn is offended on the sand's behalf.  
  
Adjusted to the heat of the sand, Zambinn keeps moving forward with bare feet. She notes she is much more agile this way.  
  
Sindari goes east in a haze, and the groups follows.  
  
The party continues to the East. They finally arrive at the temple, an ominous stone building that stands solitary in the desert. Its tower looms over you and casts a stark shadow against the light of the Eridani sun. They approach the gate, a huge wooden door with a cast iron ring as a knocker. It is devoid of the advanced technology of voice commands and automatization that they're used to on the starship. They can make out an inscription in Vulcan on its surface, weathered by the sands.  
  
Alceste stares up at the structure and takes several steps forward before looking over the Vulcan lettering.  
  
Zambinn considers the basic suggestion ‘should we knock then?’ But she is an ensign and says nothing.  
  
Sindari kicks the door in frustration and leans against it hopes of getting out of the sun. The door does not yield at Sindari's kick. It appears locked.  
  
Lodzhal fidgets with his basket as he looks at the imposing doors. The fun time is over.  
  
Inn waits by the door, the picture if Vulcan grace. expect hes a lizard.  
  
"We should just knock right? Since they're expecting us?" Zambinn says.  
  
Alceste waves Inn over. "Could you read this, please?"  
  
“Sir” Zambinn says to anyone who will listen, “should we try knocking?”  
  
"Oh, yeah." Inn reads it.  
  
The Vulcan inscription is a fragment of a quote by Surak. 'The spear in the other's heart...'  
  
Yal studies the gate, kneels to see if there's an interstice under it, and ponders the idea of crawling under it in liquid form. But then they think it's much funnier to watch their Starfleet-y friends looking for ways to get it, so they just stand up and wait expectantly. How very ironic.

  
"The spear in the others heart is a spear in your own. A teaching of Surak" Inn mutters.  
  
  
"Oh. Then I'm so very dead." Yal says.  
  
The temple door swings open with a painful creak, and a Vulcan woman is waiting for them calmly. She appears to be the one in charge of guiding them and answering questions. She raises her hand in a ta'al:  
  
"Sochya eh dif, and welcome, offworlders. My name is Priestess T'Aria. You have been invited to our temple for one simple reason: the High Priestess, T'Rel, has been killed by one of our own" her voice is cold and indifferent. "The V'Kor has requested the assistance of Starfleet for the investigation" T'Aria's tone suggests she does not care much for either Starfleet or the V'Kor. "They fear their officers might be reticent to investigate Masters of Kolinahr such as ourselves, and that their logic would become compromised in such an investigation. They will, however, detain the culprit once you uncover them" T'Aria explains as she advances swiftly across the dark entry hall and towards a smaller door.  
  
Lodzhal raises a ta'al at the woman, giving her the Vulcan greetings. He wants patiently for the captain to walk in first before following.  
  
Sindari moves into the dark cool area and scans everything with the tricorder, if it works.  
  
Jaale hastily put his shirt back on and follows the priestess into the temple, the crew following behind.  
  
Yal walks in quickly, eyes running around analytically, trying to spot useful details.  
  
Zambinn finds some shade and pants to relive herself from the heat.  
  
Sslith leaves her shirt open. As a treat.  
  
Alceste nods along at Inn's reading and mirrors T'Aria's ta'al. He quietly trails behind and lets out a breath at the cool air.  
  
Sindari's tricorder picks up some faint readings in the shelter of the temple. There appear to be 6 Vulcans inside it, aside from the party, of course.  
  
Inn follows. He wants to impress this big Vulcan lady with his massive IQ and astounding wisdom.  
  
Sasha follows, glad to get out of the sun.  
  
They enter the meditation chambers through the High Priestess' room. It is small, austere, made of stone- it contains only a meditation mat made of woven plant fibers and a handful of paper books on a simple shelf. The room does not appear to even have electricity, and is lit only by a humble lamp set on the floor. There is a narrow passageway opposite the door they came in through, which appears to lead to another similar room.  
  
"These chambers are designed without windows and with only one exit to the outside world, guarded the High Priestess, so that the devotees will not be tempted to leave their sacred studies" T'Aria states dryly. "For this reason, the High Priestess always meditates in her room, but the other six chambers are occupied by a different person each day. This arrangement also ensures that each devotee can be watched by at least two others, to ensure no one is neglecting their duties of meditation and prayer... T'Rel was killed here" T'Aria adds coldly, gesturing vaguely to the floor.  
  
"Where is the body or has that been removed." Sindari asks her.

"The body has already been burnt in accordance to our customs" T'Aria replies coldly.  
  
"Oh, very convenient." Yal smirks.  
  
Sindari scowls. Perfect.  
  
Sslith starts looking around the walls of the main chamber.  
  
Inn clicks his tongue. that's helpful.  
  
Zambinn silently agrees with Yal but will not say so.  
  
"So...if each devotee was watched by two others, I assume those two are our first suspects," says Verelan dryly.  
  
Sindari checks the tricorder for the location of the six people against the map.  
  
Nihvas understands the religious custom, of course. But she wonders how helpful she's going to be on this mission without any forensics to analyze.  
  
"Who was in the adjacent room when the murder happened?" Lodzhal asks.  
  
T'Aria raises a cold eyebrow at Verelan, and turns to reply to Lodzhal. "I do not know who was occupying each chamber at the time of the murder, for it was the High Priestess who was in charge of organizing the rotation" T'Aria replies with detachment. "However, it is logical to assume that whoever was closest to her at the time is the killer. Vulcans are touch telepaths, and even Kolinahr masters like ourselves are incapable of performing a psychionic attach without touching their victim."  
  
Lodzhal refrains to tilt his head. "Did she had notes to organize the rotation?"  
  
"No. The High Priestess does not waste valuable parchment with such a petty task. She is fully capable of remembering by herself" T'Aria replies, sounding a bit offended.  
  
“Are any of the Vulcans able to vouch for the locations of any others during the time of the attack?” Zambinn asks.  
  
Alceste holds his arms behind his back and glances around the room.  
  
Alright, that's that. Yal uses the tricorder again as they walk around, trying to scan for bizarre traces in the room, psychic traces or chemical traces. Meanwhile, they just say, "We should interrogate them all anyway."  
  
Sslith speaks up. "I think we need to round up all the suspects and individually ask who they were watching."

Alceste subtly fidgets with his hands.

  
T'Aria turns to Zambinn. "Certainly, given the fact that every member of the order can be watched by the others closest to their chamber at the time" she states. "You are free to investigate our quarters and question the six remaining members of our order. All other areas of the temple are strictly off-limits to outsiders."  
  
"Where were you?" Sindari asks.  
  
"I certainly was not involved in the High Priestess' murder, if that is what you are insinuating" T'Aria snaps coldly. "And I am determined to become the next High Priestess to prevent such a tragedy from ever taking place again."  
  
Jaale nods at Sslith, "This seems like the most appropriate action to take."  
  
Verelan stares at T'Aria.  
  
Sindari raised an eyebrow. "Which room where you in?"  
  
Inn glances at her. She's oddly emotional...  
  
"Well, lady, I would have not said that." Yal raises a brow.  
  
"And I assume, with the murder of this unfortunate, that immediately raises you to power" Verelan says.  
  
T'Aria ignores Verelan, and raises an eyebrow in return at Sindari. "Unfortunately I do not have the time to aid you in your investigation. As a potential candidate to become the next High Priestess, I cannot neglect our meditative practices until that happens. Currently I am working on this puzzle, known as the Ancient Secret of Ka'pra'es. It is said to have been devised by Surak himself. If you help me uncover it, I will tell you what I saw." T'Aria shows you a parchment with a grid on it.  
  
Yal raises their eyebrows in total disbelief. "If you want me to speed this up just say the word, Captain," they whisper to Jaale with a knowing look, half-sarcastic, half-not.  
  
Jaale whispers back to Yal, "Give it some time, Lt. Commander. Let's play along for now..."  
  
Sslith blinks. For someone who wants an investigation done, this whole setup, from the lack of map the leading lady, is oddly unwilling to cooperate.  
  
Sslith is dating T'Vana, a Vulcan, and should not be surprised by this kind of shenanigans. But T'Vana is different because she has a cute butt.  
  
Alceste eyes the parchment alongside the group.  
  
Sslith looks around at the walls of the room, and begins wandering down the hallways.  
  
Sslith wanders down the hallway and onto the next room. The other chambers are even more bare than the one of the high priestess, and each has only a meditation mat and a very simple oil lamp lighting up the darkness. Sslith wanders further down and sees a man meditating in the next chamber by himself.

The group hear the ominous sound of a bell ring across the quiet desert air. T'Aria approaches them hurriedly and asks you to follow her. "Dusk is about to fall, and our order takes a vow of silence during the hours of darkness. I am afraid you will have to continue your investigation in the morning. We have prepared a room for you to spend the night here, as it is our custom to give shelter to desert pilgrims" T'Aria's tone makes it clear that she does not think the crew is worthy of kissing a pilgrim's boots, but she does guide you to one of the dormitories of the temple. In it are enough woven mats for each member of the crew to sleep on, and by each mat is a bowl of bland mashya soup with a couple of stale pieces of krei'la bread. The only sources of lights are a few oil lamps placed in the corners of the rooms. There are no cushions, blankets, or any kind of modern technology like replicators or air conditioning. With a dignified nod, T'Aria hands you the parchment of the Ancient Secret of Ka'pra'es, and she leaves you, closes the door behind her and locks it.

  
Alceste thanks T'Aria and lightly takes a seat on one of the mats. He pulls out his flask again and takes a sip of water, then lifts the bread to his mouth and bites into it.  
  
Sslith pokes around and finally picks a mat, sips her soup, and holds her arms open for anyone who wants to lay on top of her- she's slightly softer than the mat.  
  
Sindari collapses on the mat and chugs water with Verelan while they go over the puzzle late into the night.  
  
Why couldn't Vulcan's make comfy beds, did everything have to be miserable on this planet?  
  
Eventually she passes out and dreams of numbers.  
  
Zambinn flops onto a mat and can’t wait to take her next sonic shower.  
  
Lodzhal looks at the mat with distaste. No, his joints are not going to like this. Yes, he forgot his meds.  
  
Alceste flushes a bit and politely turns down Sslith's offer. He keeps his uniform jacket on into the cold of the night and listens to Sindari and Verelan while he dips his bread in his soup and eats.  
  
Sasha wishes they'd brought a book. And maybe a pillow.  
  
Sslith shrugs and starts fiddling with her replicator, pouring out little sand piles.  
  
Yal stares at the Vulcan priestess. Well, now, this sounds like ‘can you give us one more night to obfuscate evidence?’ to them, but apparently they should give it some time. And after all, why not. They don’t exactly care. So, they shrug and head into the room with embarrassed skepticism. Embarrassed by the everyone’s life choices, that is. They offer their food to whoever wants it, they linger awake working on the puzzle, and when time comes, they’ll melt and curl in the now empty soup bowl, and they’ll regenerate for a bit.  
  
After his bowl is empty and the others are sleeping, Alceste lays on his side and rests his head on his arms, falling asleep himself.  
  
Inn definitely is there and also falls asleep.  
  
Sasha is a bit on edge. Most of these people don't know about them, about what they're hiding. They do trust them... mostly... but it's still difficult to relax enough to fall asleep.


	2. Day 2

T'Aria enters the chamber where the crew is sleeping to find everyone dressed and ready for the day. She stares down at the crew indifferently. "Come with me", she commands dryly, and begins guiding the crew back to the meditation chambers they visited yesterday.  
As they walk together down the bare stone halls of the temple, T'Aria states disdainfully: "I assume you were unable to resolve the Ancient Secret of Ka'pra'es. I would like for you to return the parchment."  
  
Jaale hands the resolved parchment over to the priestess. "Quite the contrary, lady T'Aria, my crew were able to decipher the puzzle, as you can see." As he watches her expression sour ever so slightly, he feels immense pride for his crew.  
  
Sindari crossed her arms and listened to the Vulcan. Little did that lady know they worked on it all night together even if she did pass out about midway due to exhaustion.  
  
"Wow, so much faith in us, I'm flattered," Yal coos snarkily, with a snicker and a flutter of eyelashes, as they walk with the rest of the party, always looking around carefully.  
  
Alceste smiles to himself as he follows the group.  
  
Nihvas grins at the snark. She has never met a Vulcan as rude as T'Aria.  
  
"That is Priestess T'Aria to you" she spats coldly. T'Aria takes the parchment back and surveys it with detachment. She does not seem impressed, however she says:  
"Thank you for your help, you have performed an impressive display of logic. As promised, I will answer your questions as they pertain to the investigation." As they arrive to the entry of the meditation chamber area, she turns to the group, waiting for someone to ask her something.  
  
"What was your location that day?" Sindari asked, pinching the bridge of her nose.  
  
"As we mentioned yesterday, we wish to know your own whereabouts during the time of the assassination, before we investigate other members of the order" Inn states.  
  
"On the night the murder took place, from where I was kneeling in my meditation chamber, I could see Sivath, T'Kin and Sokel" T'Aria replies.  
  
"What are the names of all the members of the order?" Nihvas asks, pulling out her PADD to take notes.  
  
"The members of our order are many across Vulcan, however, I suppose you are referring to the six that inhabit this temple" T'Aria states. "There is myself, priestesses T'Kin and T'Enne, and masters Sivath, Sokel and Sefor"  
  
Verelan wishes Vulcan names didn't all sound alike.  
  
"Do you believe they would allow us to speak with them, individually?" Alceste asks.

"Certainly" T'Aria replies. "You can enter the meditation chambers, examine them at your convenience and speak with any of the members you meet" T'Aria reiterates her warning from yesterday that all other areas of the temple are strictly off-limits.  
  
Verelan is quiet because she is thinking, as is Lodzhal.  
  
Alceste nods and glances down the hall.

"Who found the body first?" Yal asks.  
  
"We heard a cry and rushed to the scene immediately" T'Aria replies, looking at Yal with disgust.

“They all rushed in immediately after hearing screams... that hardly left anyone to be suspect” Zambinn ponders to herself quietly.

Lodzhal frowns. "Surely, seeing how the rooms are, someone had to be in the murder scene before yourself. Would you recall who that would be?"

"Can we - or you - be certain that no one external to the Order had access to the meditation chambers?" Verelan asks.  
  
T'Aria looks at Verelan as if she is an absolute dumbass. "No" she replies dryly. The temple has no windows to the outside and is in an extremely remote area- any hover car or ship approaching would have been very obvious, and a murderer would not have been able to escape on time.  
  
Verelan glares at T'Aria. "I suppose suicide has been ruled out?"  
  
"T'Rel was clearly killed by a psychionic blow. It is impossible to commit suicide in that way" T'Aria replies to Verelan.  
  
"I'm sure the Vulcan Science Directorate has determined it impossible," says Verelan calmly.  
  
"Is there no record of long-range telepathy being practiced here? Records of people having an interest in it? I know some of you Vulcans can do that with due training." Sindari says.  
  
Yal snorts.  
  
"Then, wait a moment. You're expecting us to believe no one from the outside could possibly have gotten in, and all six of your monks rushed simultaneously to the crime scene an instant after hearing the cry. So what are we meant to be investigating, how to open a welded-shut tan zhekran? Why are we really here?" Verelan argues.  
  
"Vulcans are touch telepaths. Whoever killed T'Rel must have been in the chamber next to her to commit the murder unseen... however, we did not find anyone inside her chamber at the time, so that is impossible for us to know" T'Aria states.  
  
From where Sindari has wandered off to she laughs at Verelan's comment and continues to look for Sokel or Solok or whatever his name was.  
  
"Ooookay. I think I'll go have a nice pleasant chat with Sivath," Yal says flippantly with a gleeful smile, trying to go look for other members.  
  
“Perhaps we should start questioning someone else?” Zambinn suggests. They could cross check their answers between T’Aria and the other Vulcans.  
  
Verelan picks a name at random. "I suppose I'll ask T'Enne what she saw."  
  
Jaale looks at Yal, "Please use Starfleet appropriate interrogation techniques..." he reminded them.  
  
"Now, Captain. You offend me." Yal blinks candidly, and then grins darkly at him, before walking down the corridor with a scratchy laughter that, I'm sure, will be really comforting to Jaale. But yeah. They wiggle a hand at him while they're already moving, just to let him know they've heard and they're gonna, at least, try and be decent. Maybe.

"Of course, sir," Alceste replies to Jaale. "I'll question priestesses T'Kin, if that's all right."  
  
"Of course," Jaale says to Alceste, knowing that he will be soft and kind.  
  
T'Aria shoots the party a look of disgust. "If you excuse me, I am extremely busy running the temple in this compromising time. Please stay in the meditation chambers and ask what you wish to the members of the order present" she states, before turning and locking the door, leaving the party inside T'Rel's room.  
  
The crew can see a Vulcan man in the next room over, kneeling on the ground in the uncomfortable ikapirak position. He does not appear to be meditating, however, and his gaze is fixed on the blank wall in front of him as if he is deep in thought.  
  
Lodzhal holds a fidget and walks to the man. "Live long and prosper," he says with a ta'al. "Can we disturb you?"  
  
Alceste peers around the room and occasionally tilts his head.  
  
Zambinn, having recalled a book from her childhood, moves over to Sindari and whispers “how do we know they weren’t all in on it?”

Sindari looks around the room before staring at the man. "Where were you the night of the murder?"  
  
Yal keeps walking, looking for another member to interrogate since someone is already interviewing the dude in the first chamber.

"One at a time, Yal," mutters Verelan. "Your oh so superior intellect notwithstanding."

Alceste respectfully holds up a ta'al while examining the man.  
  
"Indeed" the man replies to Lodzhal, returning the ta'al. "My name is Master Sokel. You must be the investigation party."  
  
"Indeed," Lodzhal claps his hand behind him. "We need to know in what room you were when the murder happened."  
  
Jaale grabs onto the back of Yal's uniform and pulls them back towards the party, a vein popping in his temple.  
  
"Oh my god I can't believe it," Yal mutters and roll their eyes.  
  
Sokel raises an eyebrow at Lodzhal's request. "If you are such logical detectives, figure it out yourselves" he says with just a slight tremor in his voice.  
  
"Do I detect a hint of emotion there, sir?" Verelan says.  
  
Lodzhal raises an eyebrow and turns to Sindari with a look clearly meaning "can you believe this?"  
  
Zambinn is starting to believe her suspicions are correct.  
  
Nihvas trails the group, adding a note to her PADD: "Sokel is also rude"  
  
The Romulan, suddenly very glad for the Sundering, smirks. Sindari looks at him eyebrows raised. "Logical not to answer the question." She said to Lodzhal.  
  
"If you were such a logical monk-y dude, you'd tell us straight away" Yal smiles.  
  
Sasha raises an eyebrow at the man. They don't trust him one bit.  
  
Sokel sighs. "Indeed, Romulan" he replies to Verelan, ignoring the others. "The death of the High Priestess is a senseless loss. I am not certain the murderer had a logical motive for their actions... perhaps they only wish to kill us all. I have found myself compromised, and have had trouble sleeping since the killing took place. I am even considering making a pilgrimage... perhaps I could move to Gol" Sokel says. In spite of the steely emotional control of a Kolinahr master, he clearly looks troubled, and the death of T'Rel weighs heavily on his mind.  
  
"Boo-hoo," Yal whispers to themselves in a very fake sob tone. This is fun.  
  
"Guilt can also cause trouble sleeping," Verelan mutters under her breath. Does anyone overhear? Maybe.  
  
"I'm sorry to hear that," Nihvas says, "Can you tell us who you could see from your meditation chamber the night of the murder?"  
  
Sindari sighs.  
  
Jaale steps forward and tries to console the Vulcan. "We are not here to accuse you, we are here to help." he says calmly. "If you assist us, we can help you put your mind to rest once more,"  
  
"This is regrettable," Lodzhal tries to stay polite. "Maybe helping us solve this would help you regain some emotional control, knowing the culprit is arrested."  
  
Alceste gives Yal a gentle warning glance.  
  
"I will share what I have seen. Just before the murder took place, from where I was sitting on my meditation chamber I could see Priestess T'Aria and Priestess T'Enne" Sokel replies."I simply wish to leave this temple as soon as possible, however, it is not permitted until you have concluded your investigation, and for this reason, I wish to aid you as much as possible" he adds, sounding deeply ashamed.  
  
Sindari makes a note in her PADD and waits to follow the group out.  
  
Jaale nods in appreciation. "Thank you for your cooperation, and for telling us what you saw. If we need anymore information from you, we shall return. Until then, live long and prosper, Sokel,"  
  
The Captain turns and leads the party to the next chamber.  
  
They advance through the chambers, and find two Vulcan men huddled together, whispering calmly. When they enter, they fall silent, and one of them excuses himself with a reverent nod and walks to the other room. "Greetings" the remaining man says, turning to the group. "I am Master Sivath"  
  
Verelan glances sidelong at Yal. Are they the only other person finding ALL OF THIS very sus?  
  
Lodzhal raises a ta'al as he leaves the room. He hesitates a moment, wondering if he should add something w offering comfort. But what can he say to a man who devoted his life to philosophy? He leaves without another word.  
  
Verelan glances sidelong at Yal. Are they the only other person finding ALL OF THIS very sus?  
  
Sasha also finds all of this very sus.  
  
"Could I ask what you were speaking about?" Alceste softly questions Sivath.  
  
Yal giggles innocently at Alceste, listen to the Vulcan, sigh and move along with the party. They stare intrusively at the two Vulcans huddled together, and they tilt their head slyly when Sivath approaches. "Hiya. So let's cut the bullshit. In what chamber were you the night of the murder?" They ask, easy-going and lovingly, scarily relentless.  
  
Verelan facepalms.  
  
Yal also side-eyes Verelan, raising a brow at her glance.  
  
Sindari sighs again.  
  
Jaale takes Yal aside....

Sivath ignores Yal with a sideways glance.  
  
"We were discussing the tragedy of the high priestess' death, of course" Sivath nods to Alceste.  
"I cannot say I held much respect for the High Priestess. She and I argued often regarding the finer points of Surak's philosophical doctrines, as well on how certain matter regarding the organization of the Temple should be handled. However, it is illogical to assume I killed her..."  
  
Verelan nods. If he were guilty, he would never have so freely admitted to disliking the Priestess. Or maybe they would so that the party would think he was trying to be earnest. This is a thought, but anyway.  
  
"Can we ask who was the man you where talking with?" Lodzhal asks.

"I was talking to Master Sefor" Sivath replies to Lodzhal.  
  
"Lt. Commander, if you continue to interrogate these Vulcans in such a terrifying manner I am going to report you for insubordination and intent to aggravate and obstruct the Prime Directive. Is that understood?" Jaale says quietly to Yal with a frown, speaking only to the changeling. They pout at Jaale, unimpressed. "Boring."  
  
“Which chamber were you in during the time of the murder and who could you see?” Zambinn clarified the officer’s questions.  
  
"Perhaps you are not acquainted with the finer points of Kolinahr doctrine" Sivath states, leaning in to avoid being overheard, "Only women can ascend to the rank of High Priestess, and T'Rel's death has created a rare opportunity for advancement... T'Aria certainly has wasted no time seizing the opportunity to oversee the morning prayers. She might as well be sleeping in the High Priestess' chambers while her body was still warm" Sivath says, his bitter words in contrast with the eerie stillness of his voice. "Anyway. I have no time for your irrelevant questions, as I am at present studying the Path of the Righteous." Sivath turns from you to pour over an old parchment displaying the map of a maze.

Verelan wonders what this has to do with righteousness, unless the whole point is to keep adepts so busy they can't plan anything nefarious. Sigh. Vulcans.  
  
Sindari grabs the paper from Sivath's desk, quickly resolves the maze and hands the paper over.  
  
Sivath shoots a glare at Sindari. "I suppose since you have helped me uncover this mystery, I do now have sufficient time to help you before starting my daily meditation. Just before the murder took place, from where I was sitting in my chambers, I could see Priestess T'Aria and Priestess T'Enne." Sivath states.  
  
Sindari gives him a pat on the back. "Good luck with your," she motions to his puzzles. "Logic." and moves to stand with the rest of the crew  
  
Sivath nods at Sindari, his expression unreadable.  
  
The party moves on to the next chamber, and sees the man Sivath was speaking to before, Master Sefor, who greets them with a nod.  
  
When they meet the next person, Yal specifically locks eyes on Jaale, raising their brow eloquently and very cheekily, and says to the Vulcan, "Greetings," their head bends in a little graceful nod, "Could we ask you where you were the night of the murder?" They look at Jaale, à la 'HAPPY DARLING?' Very smug.  
  
Jaale approaches and offers a ta'al, before nodding at Yal with a small smirk.  
  
Verelan snickers unhelpfully.  
  
Sefor looks coldly at Yal. "No. I do not believe that you are the most logical option to find the culprit. You are not Vulcan, and do not understand how a Kolinahr temple such as ours is run. Even the Vulcans among your ranks" Sefor says, eyeing Lodzhal with disdain, "would do well to apply themselves more to the study of logic. In fact, I believe you will be unable to speak 10 words related to the teachings of Surak that we study. Only if you prove you can do so, I will help you with your investigation- I have no interest in conversing with those who do not follow the path of logic."  
  
Zambinn makes a note on her map as to where T’Enne was. Neither Sivath or Sokel would have been in the closest chamber to the murder. Hmm...  
  
Inn blinks.  
  
Yay is about to say 'Yes but fuck my life the one time I try to be nice the dude answers rudely, and now I'm even not supposed to stab him?' but they don't say that. Because they are a Good Agent™️ now.  
  
"Well, here's "kol-ut-shan," Verelan points.  
  
Sefor look at Verelan and does not let his surprise show.  
  
"...and "ozhika." Verelan adds  
  
Sefor raises an eyebrow at Yal as they rattle off six words in a row, and then back as Verelan as she adds another. Only 2 words more, and this offworlders will have proven him wrong...  
  
"Katra" Sindari says.

"And here's "Seleya" Verelan says finally.  
  
Sefor, even beneath his facade of control, is clearly indignant and astonished. He repressed a sigh. "As promised, I will tell you what I saw" Sefor says inexpressively as the party calls out the 10 words. "Just before the murder, from my meditation chambers I could see Priestess T'Kin and master Sokel".  
  
The party moves on to the next chamber, and they find a woman kneeling on the ground, pouring over a piece of parchment. She greets the party more amicably than the others have. "Peace and a long life, outworlders. My name is Priestess T'Kin"  
  
Verelan is instantly suspicious of the friendliness.  
  
Lodzhal raises a ta'al. "Live long and prosper. We are here to investigate the high priestess murder. Can we ask you some questions?"  
  
T'Kin shakes her head. "The High Priestess is dead and there is nothing to be done about it. Kaiidth. I have no interest in becoming the next High Priestess or in helping you with your investigation" T'Kin states calmly, staring at you with a completely inexpressive face.  
  
Lodzhal blinks and doesn't know where to go with that. He turns to Jaale for direction.  
  
Sindari shakes her head, growing less and less fond of these Vulcans every second.  
  
Verelan holds her breath to avoid saying something smart-ass.  
  
Yal raises their brows and suffocate a snort. They are trying their best. Really. (No, that's not true. Absolutely not true.)  
  
T'Kin senses the discomfort her reply has caused, and explains further: "I want nothing to do with the matter. I believe in finding enlightenment in the simpler things... I tend to our fields of a'morak bushes in the plains east of our temple, and to our herd of sehlats. I am attempting to find the most efficient way to place our sehlats so they can all benefit from the shade the bushes can provide them" T'Kin is carefully studying a map of the bushes on the plains.  
  
"Aaaaand I suppose we're about to help you with that," Yal drawls, snapping their fingers and pointing at her. Then, they correct their tone. "I mean, because we're good people. So we help you. Like good people do." They smile widely.  
  
Jaale smiles to himself as he looks at the map.  
  
T'Kin looks at Yal with a vague air of pity.

The party helps T'Kin with the map until all the sejlats have been placed by a bush. T'Kin grows quiet as she looks at the parchment. "By Surak... you have discovered the secret to optimal sehlat placement" T'Kin says in her serene voice. "I suppose it is logical that I help you in return by telling you what I saw... just before the murder took place I could see T'Aria and Sefor from my meditation chamber."

As the party finishes up interrogating T'Kin, Inn stands up from the puzzle and subtly snoops around the room. Alceste spots Inn moving and steps closer to him.  
  
Inn and Alceste can see a woman sitting cross-legged on a meditation mat in the next room. She must be priestess T'Enne, the only one left to question.  
  
Inn glances at Alceste, and moves into the next room. The rest of the party soon joins them.  
  
Alceste looks back and nods, then approaches her and raises a ta'al. "Good afternoon, could we ask you a few questions?"  
  
Inn stays quiet, but raises a ta'al as well.  
  
"Certainly" T'Enne replies. "T'Rel's death is a tragedy, but what a fitting end to someone who caused so much controversy when she was alive"  
  
Alceste raises his eyebrows. "Could you elaborate on that?"  
  
Verelan is taking notes.  
  
T'Enne seems a bit confused- after years of isolation in the temple, it seems inconceivable that someone would not know. "As High Priestess of our temple, T'Rel was part of the council of high priestesses across Vulcan that rule the order of Kolinahr. She had... quite modern views in many regards" T'Enne says, trying to measure her words carefully. "At present, one must have at least one Vulcan parent to undertake Kolinahr studies, and there are rumors that T'Rel wished to change this"  
  
"Did you disagree with her views?" Inn asks calmly.  
  
Jaale looks up at T'Enne, "You mean...she wanted to include non-Vulcans in the temple and allow them to undertake Kolinahr?"  
  
"Indeed" T'Enne replies to Jaale. "Whether I agree with her views or not is irrelevant. Unfortunately, she is now dead" she states coldly in reply to Inn.  
  
"I suppose we wouldn't be allowed to ask these devout monks about their political views," Verelan puts in offhandedly.

Yal raises an eyebrow and whisper under their breath, "Aw, you have no idea how many times I said 'unfortunately' in that tone."

T'Enne looks coldly at Yal.

  
"I would not call it irrelevant, lady T'Enne" Inn narrows his eyes slightly.  
  
Sasha, who's totally been here the whole time, makes a note of that. It's certainly something of interest, both to them personally and in regards to the case.  
  
"When did you last see her alive?" Alceste asks.  
  
"It is irrelevant" T'Enne replies to Inn, "as I am not high priestess, my opinion on the matter holds no relevance. And I last saw her alive at evening prayers before we retired to our meditation chambers, on the night the murder occurred. I could see Sivath and Sokel from my meditation chamber shortly before the murder took place" she states.  
  
Alceste nods. "Do you know of anyone here who may have wanted to kill T'Rel?"  
  
"We are Kolinahru. There is no logical reason to wish death upon the high priestess, no matter how one disagrees with her" T'Enne replies dryly.  
  
"You didn't answer the question."  
  
"No" T'Enne adds in reply to the original question.  
  
Sindari huffed, looked at her PADD and wiped her brow, heading over over to the Captain she showed him her guess. "I think it was Sefor."  
  
Nihvas leans back on the wall, contemplating the map of alleged places that people were meditating. "I agree, Captain. His story doesn't line up with the others."  
  
Yal simply nods, half-lidded eyelashes, dangling their head left and right.  
  
"That seems to be the only logical deduction," he says quietly, looking to Sindari before turning to T'Enne.  
  
"We have reason to believe that Sefor is the one who committed the assassination, Priestess T'Enne," Jaale says.

Sasha nods in agreement after checking their notes.  
  
T'Enne appears shocked as she hears the news. She leans in towards the group and whispers. "Sefor is currently in the High Priestess' room. Perhaps you should confront him there and alert the V'Kor for assistance. I will gather the others here."  
  
"Oh. Finally." Yal drawls.  
  
Sindari sighs and draws her phaser as they head off to go kick some Vulcan ass.  
  
Yal turns quickly, draws their phaser and starts moving.  
  
Jaale nods and leads the crew into the High Priestess' chamber, also drawing his phaser in case they work.  
  
Sasha doesn't have a phaser, however they will assist in the arrest however they can!  
  
Verelan is still here and just following everyone's lead.  
  
Lodzhal turns on his com and tries to contact the V'Kor as he follows.  
  
Inn grabs the phaser it his side, making sure its on stun, and moves with the group.  
  
Nihvas takes a deep breath. She's a scientist, not a security officer!  
  
Lodzhal turns on his com and tries to contact the V'Kor as he follows.  
  
Lodzhal gets in touch with the V'Kor office of Nal'Shin province through the patchy communications, and they agree to send officers over to perform the arrest.  
  
Alceste agrees with everyone's suspicions and follows, setting his own phaser to high stun.  
  
When the party arrives at the High Priestess' chambers, Sefor is there, calmly pouring over a book. He closes it and turns to the party as they arrive, eyes darting between their phasers and their faces. "You must be more illogical than I thought if you believe I killed T'Rel"  
  
As soon as they step into the High Priestess's chamber, Yal holds their phaser high towards Sefor, a calm, nonchalant decadence on their face. It's duly set on high stun. "Illogic slaps, you know."

Inn is slightly offended. he is perfectly logical.  
  
Sindari sighs and aims the phaser but does not fire like she wants to. That wouldn't be very Starfleet of her.  
  
Mood, Yal thinks, even if they don't hear Sindari's thoughts.  
  
"You've been overly defensive; emotionally so. I wouldn't consider that illogical grounds for such an assumption," Alceste asserts calmly.

Lodzhal raises an eyebrow but does not take the energy to responds. Instead he leans to the captain to inform him that the authorities are on their way.  
  
"Thank you Lodzhal," Jaale says before turning to the accused Vulcan.  
  
"This is no time to be calling us illogical, Sefor, for it is you who should explain your reasons for assassinating your own high priestess before you are taken away by the authorities." Jaale holds his phaser high.  
  
There is a tense silence before Sefor speaks:  
"The High Priestess was corrupt" he states, quiet and emotionless. "Her death was the only logical way to thwart her preposterous plans. She was petitioning the Priestesses at Mount Seleya to let non-Vulcans undertake Kolinahr studies" Sefor says, a silent surge for hatred behind his words. "Such a dangerous idea must be squashed before it gained support among the higher ranks of the priesthood."  
  
"What harm would that do?" Verelan asks bluntly.  
  
Yal roll their eyes at all this words and talking. "You'd really get along with some folks I know. Really, really... Which is a compliment on my part, but..."  
  
"And why, exactly, is that idea so dangerous?" Sasha asks calmly.  
  
"I do not expect you to understand. You lack sufficient logic" Sefor says as his voice swells up. "You Federation people think you wiped us out thirty years ago, but it would take more than destroying the Stone of Gol to quash the Vulcan Isolationist Movement."  
  
Suddenly Sefor grabs Jaale and presses his hand firmly against the Orion's psi points on his face. "You have had ample warning to leave this place and to let our order be- how unfortunate you failed to grasp this opportunity. You understand nothing but force, and now, you will see how powerful the mind of a Kolinahr master can be."  
  
Nihvas gasps in horror as Sefor forces a meld on Jaale.  
  
Alceste narrows his eyes and grips his phaser tighter.  
  
Jaale struggles to get off the hold but is unable to. Sefor presses his fingers tighter against his face and uses his mind powers to create a surge of pain that courses through the Orion's body.  
  
Jaale screams but manages to twist himself free of the Vulcan's grip, pull a small dagger from his boot, and cut the palm of his hand as he dart away, leaving Sefor with an injured hand.  
  
Alceste winces and yells, instinctively and with clear concern, "Tamaz!"  
  
Sasha wishes they had a weapon. Clearly, Sefor isn't going to make this easy.  
  
Nihvas runs up to push Sefor after Jaale staggers off to the side.  
  
Nihvas manages to knock Sefor against the wall behind him.  
  
Sefor's quiet rage manifests in his normally stern face as he grips Nihvas' arm and presses his fingers against the psi points on their temple.  
  
She screams out, unable to wrench her face away from his hands. He forces his way into her head, and she feels her mind start to shatter under the strain.  
  
Yal's reflexes kick in automatically, and they shoot instinctively, aiming at Sefor's head. The phaser doesn't do shit. They roll their eyes, and put it away. Well, now sadly they'll have to snap his neck. Unfortunate. (Jokey-joke, Jaale, no worries.)  
  
Zambinn rushes over and helps pull Nihvas out of the battle zone.  
  
Sindari tries the phaser, sees it doesn't work. Tossing it aside and draws her dagger, which does work despite the interference. And she lunges.  
  
“Kick his ass, Head Nurse Sindari!” Zambinn cheers just like in fight club.  
  
Sindari's dagger plunges directly onto Sefor's chest, right were his heart would be... if he were not Vulcan. Sefor lets out a wordless, animalistic grunt as he pushes Sindari to the floor.  
  
Sindari was not expecting for him to push through the pain and hits the ground with an 'oof'.  
  
Oh, bad move, creepy Vulcan. Bad motherfucking move. Verelan's eyes flash with rage and she too grabs for her dagger. Romulans. Always keep at least one on any given away team. As deftly as she can in a miniskirt, she turns and lunges, aiming the dagger at where the Vulcanoid heart would be... damn the skant.  
  
With the bad guys distracted by Verelan, Zambinn darts in to pull Sindari out of the fray. She grabs the woman by the collar with her mouth, much like a cat carrying a kitten.  
  
Sindari obviously protests.  
  
Sefor, unprepared for the attack, tries to dodge only at the last minute, and even though the knife does not stab him in the heart, it does make a long cut in his stomach area, which starts oozing green blood.  
  
Sefor grips Verelan's arm and uses it to pull her towards him. He covers her entire face with his hand as he commands her mind to inflict a sharp pain to the entirety of her body.  
  
Verelan gasps in pain as the stronger Vulcanoid completely overwhelms her.  
  
Her mind goes blank, she knows only pain, she's going to be a bit stupid for at least a day after this.  
  
Sefor lets Verelan fall to the ground and turns to Sasha- clearly the only civilian in the group as they are not wearing a uniform.  
  
Verelan is in a heap on the ground. In a skant. This was a bad idea in so many ways.  
  
Sindari really wishes she could beam them both out of here.  
  
Zambinn pulls Verelan away just like Sindari.  
  
Sasha, being unarmed, does the only thing they can think of. They punch him in the face. With their left hand, hoping the metal arm will do a bit more damage.  
  
Alceste rushes over to Verelan and the other injured parties and hovers over them, keeping a close watch on Sefor.  
  
Sasha's punch connects squarely with Sefor's jaw, and he stumbles back, clearly disoriented and about to collapse, stumbling on his feet.  
  
The door suddenly opens, and about a dozen V'Kor officers uniformed in blue and black burst into the scene. Quickly and efficiently they place what seem to be handcuffs made of laser beams on Sefor's wrists, locking them behind his back.  
  
"You may have captured me, but mark my words, our group is far from disbanded! We will force the High Council to remove Vulcan from the claws of the Federation, and rid our planet of foreign invaders like you!" Sefor cries out as he is dragged away by the officers.

Yal watches the Vulcan collapse and be promptly arrested, and they pout. "Oh. Buzzkill."  
  
The V'Kor chief shakes his head in disapproval. He quickly identifies Jaale as the Captain as he stumbles in a daze, and turns to him:  
"Thank you for your help with this issue, Captain Tamaz. We will see to it that justice is done according to the law of Vulcan. Sefor is to spend the rest of his days in a prison facility near Shi'Kahr" he states dryly, his eyes hidden behind aviator-style sunglasses. "Is there anything else we can be of assistance with?"  
  
Sindari goes over to Verelan and starts dishing out the hypo. Elements, this was a disaster.  
  
Verelan's eyes are unfocused and she gives Sindari a punch-drunk smile.  
  
Zambinn helps the injured parties as much as she can, being a shoulder to lean on and tending to small wounds as much as she’s able.  
  
Inn puts away his phaser and goes to help Sindari.  
  
Jaale is leaning against the wall, trying not to collapse. "If you can assist us in getting back to our ship safely, that would be much appreciated," he says, pained as his head throbs.  
  
Sasha seems a bit surprised that they were the one to finally incapacitate him.  
  
Zambinn offers her Captain support, physical support.  
  
Alceste leans over Jaale and holds his arm out, speaking quietly, "Captain. Are you all right?"

Nihvas struggles to stand and gratefully leans on Zambinn as the officers turn to speak with T'Aria  
  
The V'Kor chief nods curtly and exits the room. T'Aria appears at the door of the chamber just after he goes.  
  
"Offworlders" she says, "we are grateful for your service to our order. Not only have you apprehended the culprit, preventing him from inflicting further harm to others, but you have also rid our temple of his poisonous ideals. I will strive to continue T'Rel's reforms in her absence, and ensure the path of Kolinahr opens to anyone who wishes to receive its teachings, regardless of origin or species."  
  
Jaale leans on Alceste, gratefully.  
  
"We are glad to hear it, Priestess T'Aria. For what it's worth, I think that T'Rel's mission was a noble one, and I can't wait to see the progressions you make in opening up the path of Kolinahr to all who wish to study it," Jaale says reverently, trying to look as dignified as he can while holding onto the counselor for dear life.  
  
Zambinn leaves her captain in the capable hands of the counselor and stands to the side waiting to be of more assistance.  
  
Sindari has slung Verelan up off the floor and waits with the others.  
  
"Please" T'Aria says, "before you depart, please allow me to give you a token of our gratitude. As you have seen, we do not have much in the way of material possessions here at the Temple- but what we lack in riches, we exceed in powers of the mind. If you allow me to Look" she says, raising her hand, "I may be able to glean secret knowledge... wisdom that will change your fate" T'Aria says solemnly, and she begins walking among the officers, her eyes closed in concentration as she tries to sense a hint to guide her.  
  
"Another great Starfleet-y mission accomplished," Yal exults annoyingly, before leaning towards Jaale a little and adding, "Captain, you should do one of your FNS speeches." Then they sigh, slouching a bit, and turn to offer their help to the injured (yes, for real. They're nice.)  
  
Sslith offers assistance with carrying people to safety.  
  
T'Aria wanders among the officers and pauses beside Click, who has been here the entire time, they're just very quiet like that.  
  
"Child of the Shipyards" T'Aria says, turning to Click, "Alive, though not through the Will of Nature" she brushes Click's hair from their forehead, baring the metallic scuffs on his skin. "I see a cloud of oblivious engulfing you, much like the Fullara ritual of our ancestors. Your memories are bound and restrained" she says, shifting her hand carefully so that it rests on Click's psi points. She slips into their mind quietly and unnoticed, and gently tugs at the knotted threads of Click's memories inside. "Yet they are not lost. They are still within you, recorded and safe, waiting for you to unravel them. Reclaim your past, for it might hold the key to your future."  
  
T'Aria continues wandering, then turns to Verelan: "You" T'Aria says, turning towards Verelan. "Daughter of a Dying Star... I sense the struggles of your people are far from over." With these ominous words, she places her hand onto Verelan's psi points. The Romulan can feel but a tickling sensation inside her skull as the priestess prophesies: "Soon, a poisonous viper will bite the bird of prey that flies free, and its poison will spread, threatening to corrupt everything you have worked so hard for. But not all is lost, for a figure will emerge to lead you- someone you know, someone who will fight with honor and passion to restore the glory you previously held."  
  
Verelan is just conscious enough to hear that. Tomorrow, she will wonder if it was a dream.

T'Aria advances towards Sasha, and places her hand on their face like she had done with the others. After a few moments, she places another hand on Sasha's arm, feeling the metal through the fabric of the sleeves. "Ni'Var... another child made of two worlds" T'Aria states, but does not say anything else regarding that, as she can tell that Sasha does not want their secret aired in front of the crew. "Every living thing has the right to exist and to be treated with respect. Fate holds no grip on you... you are not doomed to repeat the mistakes others made with you. Follow your intent, and live the kind of life you desire."

T'Aria turns to Alceste next: "Son of tragedy, deprived of a father... your Vulcan blood does not help quell your sadness" T'Aria says, placing her hands on his face. "You cannot pour from an empty cup. Let the fact that you have made the right choice console you... you have a bright future ahead of you."  
  
T'Aria continues snaking among the officers, and then stops again: "And you" T'Aria says, turning to Inn. "Son of Two Worlds... Your heart beats with Vulcan blood, and yet, you do not know that you can See, as we See, inside the mind of others"  
  
Inn, although confused, knows better than to question her, and bows his head.

"Captain Tamaz" T'Aria calls as she turns to Jaale, approaching him calmly. "Pride of Orion... you have seen destruction" she says as she places her hand on Jaale's psi points, like she had done with the others. "A mighty enemy lurks in the depths of the Gamma Quadrant... an enemy you know far too well. The Supremacy did not just attack your ship... it destroyed your previous one too."  
  
Jaale's eyes widen. He hears the words but can't quite comprehend them yet. He just nods, with a vacant expression, pain still shooting through his head.  
  
Alceste supports Jaale closely and studies his expression.  
  
T'Aria leads the party to the temple gates, and raises her ta'al to the group as they step back onto the blinding sunlight and the scorching sand outside. "Live Long and Prosper" she states, and the huge wooden doors creak and moan as they shut as if moved by an unseen force, until they finally slam with a deafening sound. The A'morak monastery is, once again, shut and locked, an impenetrable fortress in the remote desert.  
  
A V'Kor officer stands alone nearby, next to her hover car, wide and ample like a van. Wordlessly, she nods to the party to get on.  
  
Inn blinks, and looks back. Wow.  
  
The second the word Supremacy was aired in the room, Yal's eyes narrow. Because, after all, that is still their mission. And no matter how flippantly sarcastic they behave all the time -- there are missions they can't fail. There are missions where they must deliver. But they don't say anything. When the doors close, they just turn and stare at the Desert.  
  
Sindari heads to the hover car, thankful!  
  
"Thank you, Priestess T'Aria." Alceste gives T'Aria a ta'al as the doors close. He hands Jaale the tricorder on his person. "I've recorded everything said here for evidence, as is expected of me during this type of questioning."  
  
Lodzhal watches the van, disappointed that he will not be trekking again.  
  
Zambinn is soooo ready for a shower.  
  
The black hover car gleams in the Eridani sun like an iridescent beetle, and effortlessly flies past massive dunes, desert cacti and derelict ruins. The flock of haurok birds are once again perched on their solitary dead tree, and they scatter as you zoom by with caws of alarm. At last, you arrive once again at the oasis, and dismount the hover car. The V'Kor officer gives you a curt, wordless salute before speeding off, and you beam back to the ship.


End file.
